Statement by Antonia Cortese
Executive Vice President, American Federation of Teachers,
on Education Sector’s Report on Teacher Union Contracts

 “Frozen Assets: How Rethinking Teacher Contracts Could Capture $77 Billion for School Reform” wrongly identifies eight teacher contract provisions—paying teachers more for earning advanced degrees and years of experience, health benefits, retirement packages, class size reductions, regular salary increases, professional development and time off—as obstacles to creating sound education policy.

WASHINGTON, D.C.—The Education Sector’s report is a misguided attempt to cast certain teacher union contract provisions as obstacles to improving public education.  While “Frozen Assets” makes an effort to calculate the costs associated with these provisions, it provides no evidence to suggest that they hinder education reform, and fails to offer solutions for the problems facing our schools.

 “Frozen Assets” is on thin ice for its sweeping—and often inaccurate—assertion that many contract provisions are a waste of education funds.  This report flunks both Economics and Research 101, based on the number of misleading generalizations and erroneous information it contains. For instance, the report lists teacher retirement packages as a common contract provision when, in fact, retirement systems are governed by state law, not negotiated in collective bargaining agreements.

The report actually challenges solid research, classroom practices and common sense, which have proven the effectiveness of reduced class sizes—especially for low-income students—and the importance of attracting and retaining quality teachers by providing financial incentives to experienced, credentialed educators. Contract provisions that address these issues are critical for teacher retention.

Collective bargaining agreements are collaborations between teachers unions and school district officials.  There is an ample body of sound evidence documenting the positive impact many of these contract provisions have on education.  The Harvard Education Review, for example, found that student achievement is higher in districts that have collective bargaining contracts. Schools can only be improved if educators, district officials and politicians work together to develop real solutions instead of making unions scapegoats for every problem.

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